Suzanne is on the cusp of a tree change and, with her Honda Accord Euro getting on, keen to move onto another car that will suit her new life.

It needs to be happy on the open road, have a practical boot and – because it's likely to be the last car she buys – be reliable and affordable to run. What should she be looking at?

The budget

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The shortlist

This scenario isn't altogether straightforward. If Suzanne wants to maximise practicality and open-road calm, she should venture up the size scale. If she wants to minimise ownership hassle and cost, she should go the other way.

Like many things, though, there's a sweet spot, and in this case it's probably the small-car and medium-SUV segments. There, good fuel economy and affordable upkeep are pretty much the rule and – if she picks right – she can unlock plenty of practical and open-road tempters, too.

Another bonus. We don't know exactly what Suzanne wants to spend but contenders from these segments tend to land in the meaty middle of the bell curve, so our recommendations should be within reach.

Hyundai i30, from $20,950

The first question is which i30? Cost no object, it would have to be the literally-just-launched FD hatch. It looks sharper than the old GD, has a nicer cabin, more space and bigger boot.

Even the base $20,950 Active gets sat-nav and a reversing camera, and Hyundai's five-year warranty and lifetime fixed-price servicing combo is a potent attraction.

However, while initial samplings suggest it drives better and builds on the pampering qualities of the GD, we won't know for sure until some serious local seat time is logged.

FD petrol models aren't especially thrifty for a 2017-spec small car. Diesels are but up the minimum spend to $26k-odd.

A wish for a diesel and tight budget, then, could bring a near-new GD Series II into the frame. So could the need for greater load-lugging potential than any small hatch offers (an FD wagon is some time away).

Read Drive's Hyundai i30 reviews:

• First drive: Hyundai i30
• Used-car reviews: Hyundai i30 Tourer

Mazda CX-5, from $28,690

Not long ago this Mazda wouldn't have stood a chance – it was too noisy and too small of boot.

But this recently revitalised model is now acceptably hushed on the open road and its boot is now respectably sized.

Its presentation has taken strides inside and out, as has safety – auto emergency braking, reversing camera and a host of other driver aids are standard on all models.

All drivetrains (2.0-litre and 2.5-litre petrol, 2.2-litre diesel) tick the economy box and service costs are capped for life.

But it asks for more regular attention than an i30 (yearly/10,000km versus yearly/15,000km) and its warranty is inferior (three years). The 2.0-litre models lack the low-rev grunt to be truly relaxing open-road propositions while 2.5-litre and diesels are better but jack the price up into mid-$30k and $40k-plus territory respectively.

Read Drive's Mazda CX-5 reviews:

• Road test: Mazda CX-5 Maxx Sport

Subaru Impreza hatch, from $22,600

This Subaru's hushed ride is a big plus on coarse rural roads and the 2.0-litre petrol engine – while no benchmark of thrift – is the thriftiest petrol-powered contender in this contest.

Its cabin is classy, roomy and functional. It drives with flair and has solid safety credentials, with all models featuring a reversing camera and to-the-minute driver aids offered further up the range.

Newly stretched service intervals help it split the Hyundai and Mazda on the convenience front (yearly/12,500km). But the Impreza is the only car here with a use-by date on its fixed-price servicing (three years/37,500km). Its warranty expires after three years, its boot isn't huge and its mandatory petrol drivetrain isn't big on low-rev shove. There are no ways to get around these shortcomings, either (i.e. diesel or wagon options).

Read Drive's Subaru Impreza reviews:

• Road test: Subaru Impreza 2.0i-S 
• Road-test comparison: Small cars

Drive recommends

The Mazda and Subaru are both great examples of their respective breed but they also have question marks that potentially hold them back here, from servicing convenience to price (CX-5), boot space (Impreza) or having the right engine for the job (Impreza again).

Until we fully get to grips with the new i30 locally, its victory inevitably comes with an asterisk. But even at this early stage its robust mix of value, practicality, diesel economy and easy ownership seems bang-on target for Suzanne's needs. In a tight-budget or gotta-have-a-wagon scenario, the GD handily backs it up.